This might be time of revenge for Argentina, who is indeed one of the most solid candidates to lift this year's title. Germany has a strong and fast team with deadly gunners, but Argentina has shown their ball possession skills are truly fearsome. Lionel Messi has not yet been able to score, maybe his thirst for glory will be quenched upon a Teutonic feast.
No changes in the scheme
A lot of doubts regarding Angel Di Maria's presence were heard during the week, as El Flaco has not been truly determinant for Maradona and against Germany he needs every single advantage he can get. Real Madrid's new star can offer Maradona versatility and a deep field of view, but Argentina's right focus on the advance (with Messi, Tevez and Veron interacting at their best) relegated Di Maria to a minor role. Maxi Rodriguez's presence in the squad is almost confirmed, even though Maradona is still wondering whether Veron should be part of the starting squad or not.
Early in January Maradona was confident on the pillars of his team "It's Messi, Mascherano, Jonas Gutierrez and eight more" were his words. But the African experience granted Nicolas Otamendi the position of right winger, and this way Maradona could find the last defending piece he's missing. Nevertheless Jonas might take over Di Maria's place, and if Maxi replaces Veron Argentina will gain a lot in speed and presence in the wings, but will be lacking technique and finesse. Another possibility is for young Javier Pastore to occupy a position within the starting eleven, as every ball he's touched in South Africa breathed a quiet and confident air.
Sergio Romero will have to be secure between the posts to stop Germany's heavy artillery, as every attacking player in the Teutonic squad can unleash a brutal shot at the least expected moment. Samuel's return to the back line will offer a stronger defense against a team known by its ability to find open spaces everywhere. Argentina's captain Javier Mascherano will have a tough time stopping Germany's creation, and the result of the game will probably have much to do with his performance.
Argentina has grown from the friendly match against Germany four months ago. Gonzalo Higuain is the top striker of this competition and will be looking forward to open a bigger gap from David Villa in a particular Spaniard fight. Carlos Tevez has already tasted the net and once he's in the mood, there's little for their rivals to do about it.
Another giant in the way
Germany succeeded in stopping England from reaching the quarter finals, and everyone in the team had a chance to show their worth in the match. Germany is perfectly sharp for this competition, with a strong and very versatile squad. Their players are aware Argentina will face this match as a final and thus they've been closely studying every move of Argentina's play makers: For that reason, the presence of an unsuspected artist as Pastore might give Maradona an upper hand from the first minute.
Joachim Low will probably have to do without Cacau, for Stuttgart's striker is experiencing strong abdominal pain and will most likely be unable to perform. Mezut Ozil is one of the most promising players in the squad, owner of an exquisite left foot and a clear head for one-on-one situations. His association with Schweinsteiger has been decisive for Germany to advance to this stage. Bayern Munich's midfielder called for everyone to be aware of Argentina's influence on the referees, as "they're known for their constant desire to influence on referee's judgment" as he declared.
In 2006 Germany got their ticket for the semi finals after a controversial penalty shoot out, in which Germany's goalkeeper had a list analyzing the routine of every Argentinean shooter. Now Maradona will be looking forward to finish the game in the 90 minutes, will they be able to join world's top four once again?
